System and method for call routing and enabling interaction between callers with calls positioned in a queue

ABSTRACT

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for processing telephone calls from a plurality of customers directed to a call center. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving a telephone call at a call center from a first customer, determining that all agents of the call center are unavailable, placing the telephone call in a queue, obtaining first customer information, and matching the first customer information to second customer information associated with an ongoing communication between a second customer and an agent. The first customer is then offered an opportunity to monitor the ongoing communication, and in some embodiments is connected to the ongoing communication.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/843,239, filed May 11, 2004, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FROCALL ROUTING AND ENABLING INTERACTION BETWEEN CALLERS WITH CALLSPOSITIONED IN A QUEUE”, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/160,552, filed Oct. 25, 2001, issued May 11,2004, as U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,300, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FORENABLING INTERACTION BETWEEN CALLERS WITH CALLS POSITIONED IN A QUEUE”;which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/616,016,filed Jul. 13, 2000, issued Nov. 6, 2001, as U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,178 B1;which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/401,471,filed Sep. 22, 1999, issued Sep. 26, 2000, as U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,178;which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/832,724,filed Apr. 11, 1997, issued Nov. 2, 1999, as U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,467.Each of the above applications is incorporated by reference herein forall purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to communication switching systems and,more specifically, to a queuing system for calls directed to a callcenter, wherein a caller can monitor other calls while awaiting anagent's response.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For a growing number of public and private organizations,telephone-based customer support plays an increasingly vital role inactivities requiring direct communication with a caller/customer. Inorder to serve a maximum number of callers, every call center isdesigned to optimize call handling efficiency and telephone agentproductivity. Some prior art systems allow telephone agents to service agreater number of callers by a) ascertaining a caller's request throughcollection, by a live agent, of initial information from the caller, andb) transferring the call to a voice response unit to address thespecific request of the caller. Other systems reverse the answer andcollection process by connecting the caller initially to a voiceresponse unit which collects information that is ultimately used toroute the call to an appropriate agent.

While these techniques increase agent productivity, such systems areoften limited to business transactions that are rather simple andclearly defined. For moderately complex applications, in which callerrequests differ significantly from one caller to the next,semi-automated prior art systems may lead to disconnects, connection toa wrong agent pool, or a sequence of call transfers that may bedisconcerting to some callers.

A common device used in telemarketing centers to enhance agentproductivity is an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) which allows a callcenter to cost-effectively handle a large number of calls by placingcalls in a holding queue when no agents are available. Before a call isplaced in the holding queue, a greeting message identifying the calledparty is played by the ACD, via an interactive voice response unit(IVRU), to the caller, indicating that the next available agent willservice the call. During the holding period, music or advertisingmessages may be played to the caller to entertain or inform the callerof sales promotions for particular products or services.

Call queuing plays a very important role in call center operations.Known advantages to the call center include increased agent productivityby reduction of idle time for the agent, and increased capacity tohandle more calls simultaneously during peak calling periods. Long callqueues, however, have several disadvantages. Call centers waste atremendous amount of money servicing long call queues. Callers wastetime while in the queue, resulting in dissatisfaction with the serviceprovided, potentially leading to abandoned calls. Further, for non-800number calls, the user pays telecommunication charges while waiting.

It is known that many callers to call centers have identical or nearlyidentical queries but still obtain individual handling by agents. Theprior art has attempted to handle such queries by providing pre-recordedanswers to commonly asked questions. However, such a facility canprovide less than satisfactory customer service, especially when therecorded answer does not precisely match the customer's query.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a caller-interactive phone queuing systemconsistent with some embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an automated call distributor (ACD) usedwith some embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a private branch exchange (PBX) used withsome embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of the contents of a call database used insome embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing showing an agent database used with someembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a recorded call archive database usedsome embodiments of with the invention.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart describing the method by which calls areprocessed and routed in accordance with some embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example voice recognition module(VRM) according to some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a table illustrating an example data structure of a keyworddatabase for use in some embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating an example process according tosome embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Applicants have recognized that it may be advantageous, in accordancewith some embodiments of the present invention, to provide a system forallowing a caller positioned in a queue to monitor one or moreconversations of other callers. One or more embodiments of the presentinvention provide for determining which of a plurality of conversationsmight be more appropriate for the caller to monitor (e.g., based on therelevance of the conversation to the caller's need). In someembodiments, categories, keywords and/or other types of informationabout content available in the system may be used to determine the mostrelevant content.

Applicants further have recognized that it may be advantageous, inaccordance with some embodiments of the present invention, to reduce thesize of a call queue, thereby increasing customer satisfaction whiledirectly decreasing the costs of the provider.

One or more embodiments of the present invention are directed to:queuing a call when no agent is available to service the call, givingthe caller an option to monitor (but not participate in) other callerconversations with similar queries, querying a database using collectedinitial information as a search key(s) to retrieve additionalinformation needed to find a similar caller currently being serviced,and connecting the caller to a communication channel to allow themonitoring of a call while not losing place in the queue for a nextavailable agent.

Some embodiments of the present invention take advantage of the featuresand functionality offered by premise-based ACDs. In an exemplaryembodiment of the invention, an ACD at the call center determines thatno agents are available to handle an incoming call and invites thecaller to be placed in an interactive holding queue. Upon receiving asignal indicating the caller's willingness to be placed in the queue,announcements are then played to the caller in order to collect initialinformation to direct the call. The collected information enables thesystem to search for a similar subject already being handled by anagent. If such a call is ongoing, the call is forwarded to a switchserving the agent. The switch, in turn, allows the caller to monitor thecall in progress or a previous call that has been recorded. A databaseretains the caller's subject and queue status until an agent becomesavailable. When an agent becomes available the switch disconnects themonitor-only connection of the caller and forwards the call to theavailable agent.

In another embodiment of the invention, the caller is given an option toremain in the monitor-only status until the monitored call is completedand then to return to the top of the queue for the next available agent.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the caller is given theoption to enter a “chat room” where callers having similar problems canconverse until an agent becomes available.

Referring to FIG. 1, a priority phone queuing system incorporating theinvention includes a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) 10, an ACD 12 and anIVRU 14. PBX 10 receives incoming calls via trunk 11 and is, via trunk20, connected to a plurality of agent terminals 16. PBX 10 furtherprovides caller data to ACD 12 which handles queuing management of thecalls and further controls the operation of IVRU 14. IVRU 14communicates with the callers by passing/receiving audio signals throughACD 12 to/from PBX 10 and the connected calling party whose call hasbeen placed on hold.

According to some embodiments, an optional Voice Recognition Module(VRM) 15 may be in communication with the PBX 10, the ACD 12, and/or theIVRU 14. VRM 15 may be operative, for example, to recognize one or more“keywords” spoken by one or more callers, and may be configured to storean indication of keywords (e.g., in a database). VRM 15 is discussed infurther detail below with respect to FIG. 8.

Those skilled in the art will understand that the precise arrangement ofPBX 10, ACD 12, IVRU 14 and VRM 15 shown in FIG. 1 is merelyillustrative, and that other arrangements thereof can accomplish theinvention to be described below.

In the description which follows, it will be assumed that all agentterminals 16 are busy and that PBX 10 cannot respond to an incoming callby making a direct connection to an agent. As a result, PBX 10 is forcedto place an incoming call on hold and to provide data regarding the callto ACD 12. In response, ACD 12 places the incoming call in a queue, inthe order received. Thereafter, when PBX 10 determines that an agentterminal is available, it so instructs ACD 12, which removes the call atthe top of the queue and provides it to PBX 10, which then takes thecorresponding incoming line off hold and connects the caller to theavailable agent terminal 16.

Once ACD 12 has placed the incoming call in a queue, it transmits amessage to IVRU 14 which, in turn, plays a message for the caller whosecall has been placed on hold. That message provides the caller with theoption to “listen-in” on other customer service calls that are alreadyin progress and that are directly related to the subject matter of thecaller's query. Should the caller accept the offer, IVRU 14 notifies ACD12 of the acceptance. ACD 12 then instructs PBX 10 to re-route the callto enable the caller to listen to an agent/caller discussing a subjectthat is common to the incoming caller's query.

According to some embodiments, ACD 12 may be programmed to receiveinformation from the optional VRM 15 in order to determine the subjectof the incoming caller's query.

ACD 12 can also be programmed to allow the caller whose call has beenplaced on hold to selectively “sample” available calls in progress orpreviously recorded customer service calls. The previously recordedcalls are stored in data storage in PBX 10 in a “recorded call archive”.Allowing the caller whose call is on hold to selectively browse throughthe archive or to listen to an on-going call may result in the caller'squestion being answered, without requiring connection to a live agent.The incoming caller, while on hold, is enabled to access and listen toany archived call in the same subject category as his call, and/or tolisten to the different on-going calls to see if any one addresses theparticular problem he has called about.

ACD 12 can further be programmed to allow the caller whose call has beenplaced on hold to participate in a “chat room” with other customerswhose calls are also in the queue. A chat room is a line on whichmultiple people can talk simultaneously, enabling the customers toexchange advice regarding the problems they are experiencing. Thisexchange offers the possibility of obtaining a solution/answer to thecaller's problem without requiring connection to a live agent. In someembodiments, a new caller entering a chat room may be identified tothose already in the chat room.

Enabling an incoming caller whose call has been placed on hold in aqueue to either “listen-in” on a live call-in-progress, to access andsearch through pre-recorded calls in the same subject area or toparticipate in a chat room, provides many benefits. Among these benefitsare a reduction in calls that will require live operator assistance, anincrease in customer satisfaction, and a decreased hold time for eachcaller.

Further details of the components of the system of FIG. 1 will now bedescribed to enable a more complete understanding of the invention.Referring now to FIG. 2, ACD 12 is controlled by a central processingunit (CPU) 22 and includes a clock 24, a read-only memory (ROM) 26 and arandom access memory (RAM) 28. RAM 28 includes one or more call queue(s)30 of call identifier indicating calls awaiting connection to an agentterminal 16.

A data storage device 32 (e.g., a disk drive) includes a call handlingprocedure 34 that enables handling of queue(s) 30 and other functionsperformed by ACD 12, to be hereafter described. Data storage device 32further includes a call database 36 and an agent database 38, all ofwhich will be hereafter described in conjunction with the schematicillustrations in FIGS. 4 and 5.

ACD 12 communicates with PBX 10 via communications port 40 and PBXinterface 42; and with IVRU 14, via IVRU interface 44. Also connectedvia communication port 40 is a floppy disk drive 48 which is adapted toreceive a disk cartridge 49. It is to be understood that call handlingprocedure 34 can be off-loaded from disk cartridge 49 and thereafterutilized to control the operation of ACD 12.

Optionally, ACD 12 communicates with VRM 15 via communications port 40and an appropriate interface.

Call database 36 maintains information regarding incoming calls. Agentdatabase 38 provides further information regarding each agent terminal16 and provides signals to PBX 10 which instruct as to the routing ofcontrol signals and telephone calls to individual agent terminals 16.

Turning now to FIG. 3, PBX 10 comprises a switch network 50 whichreceives incoming calls via trunk 11 and provides outgoing connectionsto agent terminals 16 (FIG. 1) via trunk 20. Control of switch network50 is exerted by central processing unit (CPU) 52 which is, in turn,controlled by procedures stored in RAM 54 and ROM 56.

Control procedures and databases used by CPU 52 are held in data storagedevice 58. Stored therein are a call transaction process 60, a recordedcall archive database 62 and a routing database 64. Call transactionprocess 60 enables CPU 52 to react to an incoming call; to place thecall on hold if all agents are busy; to connect the call to an availableagent; and to communicate with ACD 12 so as to enable the caller tomonitor calls in progress, to “browse” through recorded call archive 62or to participate in a chat room. A call recorder 65 enables recordingof calls and may be addressed by CPU 52, responsive to data in recordedcall archive 62, to play previously recorded calls for caller listening.

Recorded call archive 62 holds recordings of prior calls with agents.These calls are classified by subject matter to enable an accessingthereof by an associative search process. Routing database 64 maintainsroute information to connected agent terminals 16 (and any otherterminals that are connected to PBX 10).

PBX 10 controls communications with each of agent terminals 16, via acommunication port 66 and an agent interface 68. Control signals aresent to agent terminals 16 via control wiring (not shown) between PBX 10and each of agent terminals 16. The control signals may, alternatively,be carried over the internal telephone network comprising trunk 20. ACDinterface 70 enables PBX 10 to communicate with ACD 12 (see FIG. 2).

Optionally, PBX 10 communicates with VRM 15 via communications port 66and an appropriate interface.

Referring also to FIG. 1, each agent terminal 16 includes acommunication “back” channel connection 72, which enables an agent at anagent terminal 16 to provide a call subject classification back to PBX10. More specifically, when an agent has initially conversed with acaller and determined the subject of the caller's query, the agenttransmits a subject category value to PBX 10, via back channel 72. PBX10 feeds the call subject category value to ACD 12 for storage in a calldatabase in association with the call.

It is to be understood that PBX 10, ACD 12, IVRU 14 and VRM 15 may allbe commercially available units. For instance, the AmeritechCorporation's Call Center provides all of the functions includingautomatic call agent functions, automatic call distribution/switchingfunctions and interactive voice response functions.

Turning now to FIGS. 4-6, three databases are schematically illustratedwhich aid in the implementation of the invention. Call database 36 (FIG.4) includes a listing of call tracking numbers which are assigned tocalls as each call is received; a call subject category which identifiesa subject classification of a caller's inquiry; a call position valuewhich indicates the call's queue position; the caller's phone number; achannel number which identifies the internal telephone line to which thecall has been assigned (for connection to an agent); the time the callwas received; an agent tracking number; monitored agents (if any); andan archive call number which indicates an archived call (if any) towhich the caller has been connected.

FIG. 5 illustrates the contents of agent database 38. The agentidentification number is self-explanatory. The agent status indicateswhether the agent is busy or available. The agent area of expertiseentry defines a particular subject matter (or subject matters) that theagent is competent to handle. The latter category enables ACD 12 toconnect an incoming call (where the subject of the call has beenpre-identified by the caller), to an agent having expertise in thecall's subject matter.

FIG. 6 illustrates recorded call archive database 62 which includes fourfields, i.e., a call subject category which defines the subject matterof a call recorded in the archive database; the date the call wasrecorded; the length of the recorded call; and the recorded call data.Each field enables ACD 12, in conjunction with call handling procedure34, to manage the connection of an archived call to a caller waiting ina queue. The subject matter and date of the recorded call are used toaccess the recording within archive database 62.

It is to be understood that the above-described databases are intendedto illustrate one embodiment of the present invention. Many alternativedatabase structures will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Referring to the flow diagram of FIG. 7, the procedure employed by theinvention will be described. Initially, a caller places a call to acustomer service provider (box 100). The incoming caller's telephonenumber is detected by an automatic number identification (ANI) facility.In response to voice prompts from IVRU 14, and in conjunction withcontrol commands from ACD 12, PBX 10 then inputs information regardingthe call to ACD 12 (box 102). One such piece of information may be thesubject matter of the call. For instance, IVRU 14 may provide a seriesof subjects to the caller, and ask the caller to respond by depressing aspecified key to identify a particular subject (e.g. “press 1 forprinter problems, press 2 for modem problems”).

Once the call information has been entered by ACD 12 into call database36, the system determines whether an appropriate agent is available(decision box 104). If so, the call is routed to the agent's phone andthe information associated with the call is transmitted to the agent'sterminal (box 106). If no agent is available, the call is placed in theholding queue (box 108). IVRU 14 plays a message asking whether thecaller would like to monitor an on-going call, an archived call orparticipate in a “chat room” (decision box 110). If the caller declinesto hear more information, the call remains on hold in the holding queue(box 112) to await availability of an appropriate agent (decision box118).

If the caller agrees to hear additional information (decision box 110),an appropriate call in-progress, archived call or chat room is selected,as the case may be, based on the subject of the incoming call and thepreferences of the caller (box 114). For instance, each call in progresswith an agent has already had a subject matter categorization enteredinto call database 36. Accordingly, by matching the incoming callsubject with ongoing call subject categories in call database 36, anappropriate call in progress can be selected for connection to theincoming caller's line. It is to be noted, however, that the connectionof the incoming caller's line only allows a monitoring of the call inprogress call. It should be noted that the initial caller who iscurrently talking to a live operator is provided the option ofmaintaining a private call. Should the caller not want another party tolisten in, he can simply designate so at the onset of the connectionwith the live operator. Call centers may provide callers with someincentive to allow other callers to listen in. For example, a callermight receive a discount towards a future purchase for allowing an openline.

In some embodiments, operators may be given the ability to mute or lockout any listeners. When caller sensitive material or information isgoing to provide a credit card account number or software licensenumber, the operator might simply press a button, securing the phoneline such that no one can hear that sensitive information.

In at least one embodiment, the feed to a caller who is listening to anongoing call may be delayed (e.g., seven seconds). This delay betweenwhen the ongoing conversation takes place and when the caller listeningin would hear it would enable an agent (human or automated) monitoringthe conversation to mute or otherwise interrupt the feed to thelistening caller. In this way, the agent may prevent the transmission ofsensitive information to any caller(s) listening in. In someembodiments, the VRM 15 may be configured to identify sensitiveinformation, such as a credit card account number, telephone number oraddress information, by recognizing, for example, that the ongoingcaller has recited a certain number of numeric digits in a row. Themuting or transmission interruption may be performed by the agentinvolved in the ongoing call, an automated “muting agent,” a human“muting agent” or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, an agentmay receive an indication from a VRM that potentially sensitiveinformation has been provided in the ongoing conversation. Of course,although various techniques for dealing with sensitive information havebeen discussed above with respect to ongoing conversations, it will bereadily apparent that such techniques may be used with archivedconversations, chat rooms and other sources of information as well.

Similar actions occur with respect to archived calls and chat room(s),depending on the incoming caller's choice. For instance, if the callerelects to listen to an archived call, call handling procedure 34 selectsan appropriate recorded call from the archive and plays the call for theincoming caller.

Should the caller determine that a call selection made by call handlingprocedure 34 is not of interest, or involves a subject that does notmatch the caller's subject, the caller is enabled (box 116) to monitoror “browse” other calls in progress or other archived calls. Thisbrowsing is enabled through the entry (by the caller) and detection (byIVRU 14) of appropriate tones to restart the call selection processdescribed above. Only when an appropriate agent becomes available (box118) does the procedure terminate, to enable the incoming call to berouted to the agent (box 106).

If an appropriate agent is still not available when a monitored callends, and further calls are available to be monitored, the system thenenables the caller to select another call (box 120). This actioncontinues until an agent becomes available or the caller determines thathis/her query has been answered by the aforesaid call listening/chatroom actions.

As discussed herein, in some embodiments information regarding thesubject of an incoming call (e.g., as indicated in call database 36) maybe used in order to determine an appropriate call in-progress, archivedcall or chat room. The caller may be asked by the IVRU 14, for instance,to indicate the subject of his call by depressing a specified key toidentify a particular subject. Then, by matching the incoming callsubject with the subject of ongoing calls, archived calls and/or chatrooms, an appropriate source of information can be selected forconnection to the incoming caller's line.

In some embodiments, one or more keywords may be used to provide somemore specific information about the subject of a call. For example, asubject category may encompass a wide variety of issues. Thus, even ifan incoming caller has indicted an interest in “modems” and severalongoing calls are related to “modems,” it may be unlikely that theincoming caller will have his issue addressed, given the wide variety ofissues relating generally to “modems.” The caller may have to listen inon several conversations before finding one that deals with hisparticular problem (e.g., “modem dropping calls”). Some embodiments ofthe present invention provide for various ways of identifying moredetailed information (e.g., using keywords, sub-categories, conversationsummaries) within a general subject category. For example, byassociating one or more keywords with a call (e.g., as identified by VRM15), more specific searches may be made for relevant conversations.

According to some embodiments, determining the subject of an incomingcall and/or determining the subject of ongoing calls, archived callsand/or chat rooms, may involve use of VRM 15.

FIG. 8 depicts one example of VRM 15 that may be practicable for usewith one or more embodiments of the present invention. VRM 15 may beimplemented as a system controller, a dedicated hardware circuit, anappropriately programmed general purpose computer, or any otherequivalent electronic, mechanical or electro-mechanical device suitedfor various types of voice recognition functions.

VRM 15 comprises a processor 805, such as one or more Intel® Pentium®processors. The processor 805 is coupled to a communication port 815through which the processor 805 communicates with one or more otherdevices (optionally via one or more appropriate interfaces).Communication port 815 preferably is in communication with one or moreof ACD 12, PBX 10 and IVRU 14.

The processor 805 is also in communication with a data storage device810. The data storage device 810 comprises an appropriate combination ofmagnetic, optical and/or semiconductor memory, and may include, forexample, Random Access Memory (RAM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), a compactdisc and/or a hard disk. The processor 805 and the storage device 810may each be, for example: (i) located entirely within a single computeror other computing device; or (ii) connected to each other by a remotecommunication medium, such as a serial port cable, telephone line orradio frequency transceiver. In one embodiment, the VRM 15 may compriseone or more computers that are connected to a remote server computer formaintaining databases.

The data storage device 810 stores a program 820 for controlling theprocessor 805. The processor 805 performs instructions of the program820, and thereby operates in accordance with the present invention, andparticularly in accordance with the methods described in detail herein.The program 820 may be stored in a compressed, uncompiled and/orencrypted format. The program 820 furthermore includes program elementsthat may be necessary, such as an operating system, a databasemanagement system and “device drivers” for allowing the processor 805 tointerface with computer peripheral devices. Appropriate program elementsare known to those skilled in the art, and need not be described indetail herein.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the instructions ofthe program 820 may be read into a main memory from anothercomputer-readable medium, such as from a ROM to a RAM. Execution ofsequences of the instructions in program 820 causes processor 805 toperform the process steps described herein. For example, variouscomputer-based algorithms for recognizing human speech, generally termedAutomatic Speech Recognition (ASR), are well known. In another example,voice applications such as Nuance Call Steering™ may use VoiceXML andsoftware for recognizing free-style speech to interact with callers andautomatically route calls. In another example, iVoice™ by iMessagingSystems provides software capable of recognizing certain keywords foruse in responding to callers. In alternative embodiments, hard-wiredcircuitry may be used in place of, or in combination with, softwareinstructions for implementation of the processes of the presentinvention. Thus, embodiments of the present invention are not limited toany specific combination of hardware and software. Various types of VRMsapplicable for use with various embodiments of the present inventionwill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of thepresent disclosure.

The storage device 810 also stores a keyword database 825. The keyworddatabase is described in detail below and depicted with exemplaryentries in FIG. 9.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the schematicillustrations and accompanying descriptions of the databases presentedherein are exemplary arrangements for stored representations ofinformation. A number of other arrangements may be employed besidesthose suggested by the tables shown. Similarly, the illustrated entriesof the databases represent exemplary information only; those skilled inthe art will understand that the number and content of the entries canbe different from those illustrated herein. Further, despite thedepiction of the databases as tables, an object-based model could beused to store and manipulate the data types of the present invention andlikewise, object methods or behaviors can be used to implement theprocesses of the present invention.

Note that, although the keyword database is described as being stored inVRM 15, in other embodiments of the present invention some or all ofthese databases may be partially or wholly stored in another device,such as one or more of ACD 12, PBX 10, IVRU 14 or any combinationthereof.

FIG. 9 is a tabular representation 900 of the keyword database 825. Thetabular representation of the keyword database includes a number ofexample records or entries, each defining a call and one or morekeywords associated with the subject matter of the call. Those skilledin the art will understand that the keyword database 825 may include anynumber of entries.

The tabular representation 900 of the keyword database 825 also definesfields for each of the entries or records. The fields specify: (i) acall tracking number 905 that uniquely identifies the correspondingcall, (ii) a call type 910 that indicates the type of call (e.g.,ongoing, incoming or archived), (iii) a subject category 915 thatindicates at least one subject category associated with the call, and(iv) keywords detected 920 that indicates one or more keywords detectedduring the corresponding call (e.g., keywords associated with thesubject category 915).

The exemplary system discussed above, including the hardware components,software components, and the databases, are useful to perform variousmethods of the invention described herein. However, it should beunderstood that not all of the above-described components and databasesare necessary to perform any of the methods of the present invention. Infact, in some embodiments, none of the above-described system isrequired to practice the methods of the present invention. The systemdescribed above is merely an example of a system that would be useful inpracticing some methods of the invention.

Referring to FIG. 10, a flow chart 1000 is depicted that represents someembodiments of the present invention. Although the method 1000 isdiscussed as being performed by a call system, it will be understood inlight of the present disclosure that the method may be performed by aPBX 10, an ACD 12, an IVRU 14, a VRM 15 and/or one or more agents.Similarly, although some aspects of the method 1000 are discussed asbeing performed in relation to an ongoing call, it will be understood inlight of the present disclosure that the method may involve archivedcalls and/or chat room conversations. It must be understood that theparticular arrangement of elements in the flow chart 1000 of FIG. 10, aswell as the number and order of example steps of other various methodsdiscussed herein, is not meant to imply a fixed order, sequence,quantity, and/or timing to the steps. Embodiments of the presentinvention can be practiced in any order, sequence, and/or timing that ispracticable. Likewise, the labels used to reference the individual stepsof the methods are not meant to imply a fixed order, sequence, quantity,and/or timing to the steps.

In general terms and still referring to FIG. 10, method steps of someembodiments of the present invention may be summarized as follows. Instep 1002, the system receives an incoming call. In step 1004, a subjectcategory associated with the incoming call is determined. In step 1006,at least one keyword associated with the incoming call is determined. Instep 1008, an ongoing call is determined based on the subject categoryand keyword(s). In step 1010, the caller associated with the incomingcall is allowed to listen to the ongoing call. As indicated above, insome embodiments these steps may be performed in a different order, andmore, fewer, and/or alternative steps may be used as well.

Each of these exemplary steps is discussed in greater detail herein.Note that not all of these steps are required to perform the methods ofthe present invention and that additional and/or alternative steps arealso discussed below. Also note that the above general steps representfeatures of only some of the embodiments of the present invention. Suchsteps may be combined and/or subdivided in any number of different waysso that methods of the present invention include more or fewer actualsteps. For example, in some embodiments additional steps may be added toupdate and maintain the databases described above. As indicated,however, it is not necessary to use the above-described databases in allembodiments of the invention. In some embodiments, a described step maybe performed by or with respect to any number of devices or entities.For example, a step may be subdivided into sub-steps, some of which areperformed by one device, and some of which are performed by or otherwiseinvolve a different device. In other words, the methods of the presentinvention may contain any number of steps performed by any number ofentities that are practicable to implement the various differentinventive processes described herein.

Determining or identifying an ongoing call based on the subject categoryand keyword(s) of an incoming call may include looking up informationabout ongoing calls. For example, a subject category and/or keyword(s)may be determined for each ongoing call. In some embodiments, the VRM 15may use information stored in the keyword database 825 for determiningwhether any keywords for a particular subject matter have been used, forexample, in an incoming, ongoing or archived call or chat roomconversation. In at least one embodiment, the VRM 15 analyzes a call todetermine if any keywords are used in the call. The VRM 15 may identifyparticular keywords that are associated with the indicated subjectcategory of the call (e.g., in a database accessible by VRM 15). Theparticular keywords associated with a particular subject category may bedetermined by the call center, for example, and may be modified overtime in order to optimize call routing.

In at least one embodiment, call routing may be fully automated (e.g.,without intervention by a human agent). For example, the ACD 12 receivesa call from a first caller. The ACD 12 then actuates the IVRU 14 togreet the caller. The caller is provided with a pre-recorded menu ofcategories. The caller indicates he has a “printer” problem by selectingthe corresponding option from the menu. The ACD 12 then accesses anagent database to determine if there are any available agents trained tohandle a call in the category of “printers.” For example, the exemplaryagent database 38 (FIG. 5) might indicate that a particular agent isboth (i) trained to handle calls about “printers” (as indicated, forinstance, in the agent area of expertise field) and (ii) currentlyavailable (as indicated, for instance, in the agent status field).Accordingly, the call from the first caller may then be routed via PBX10 to an agent terminal associated with an agent who is available andknowledgeable in the area of “printers.”

As discussed herein, the PBX 10 may be connected to the VRM 15, whichmay be operative to recognize “keywords” spoken by one or more callersand to record indications of such keywords (e.g., in keyword database825). In this example, the first caller has previously indicated aparticular call category (“printers”). The VRM 15 may then monitor theconversation between the agent and the first caller for utterances ofthe keywords. A record of the keyword database 825 corresponding to thefirst caller's ongoing call may be updated when the caller and/or theagent utter a recognized keyword. For example, a VRM 15 may be operableto recognize the utterance of a particular word, such as “ink,” andcommunicate with a keyword database such that data associated with thefirst call (i.e., an ongoing call) is continually updated. Updating mayoccur substantially in real time, may be periodic, according to aschedule, or at any time as deemed practicable for the particularapplication. As depicted in FIG. 9, the keyword database 825 mayeventually indicate various keywords (e.g., “ink,” “photo”) stored inassociation with the ongoing call.

Continuing with the example, a call from a second caller (i.e., anincoming call) may then be received by the ACD 12. The second caller mayalso indicate, via the IVRU 14 as described, a “printers” problem. TheACD 12 may then access an agent database as described, and determinethat there are no available “printers” agents for the second caller.

In one embodiment, to describe his problem further, the second callermay identify various keywords using a menu of the IVRU 14 as described.For example, after indicating that he has a “printer” problem, thecaller may be prompted: “Press ‘1’ if you have a problem with ink, press‘2’ if you have a paper jam, press ‘3’ if your printer has no power,”etc.

In another embodiment, the second caller may provide a brief verbaldescription of his problem. The VRM 15 may identify one or more keywordsfrom this description. For example, an IVRU 14 prompt may indicate: “Atthe tone, please tell us a little more about your problem. Please keepyour description brief. When you are done, press the pound key.” The VRM15 may monitor the second caller's description and identify variouskeywords.

Any keywords identified in association with the (second caller's)incoming call may be stored in the keyword database 825. A program ofthe VRM 15, for example, may then access the keyword database 825 to tryand locate an ongoing call having the same subject category and one ormore of the same keywords. If a call (e.g., ongoing, archived) isidentified that is relevant to the subject of the incoming call, theincoming caller may be provided with the opportunity to listen to theidentified call while on hold.

For instance, as depicted in FIG. 9, the subject and keywords of theincoming call “1234599” match those of the ongoing call “1234555.” Thus,in the present example, the second caller is provided with anopportunity to listen to the first call. For example, an IVRU 14 mayprompt the second caller: “Your estimated hold time is eight minutes. Inthe meantime, we've found an ongoing call that might provide an answerto your question. Would you like to listen to this call while waitingfor an agent? Press ‘1’ if yes, press ‘2’ to hear music instead.” If thesecond caller indicates he would like to listen to the first call, theACD 12 may then provide a listen-only feed as described previouslyherein.

In at least some embodiments, the determining of subject categoriesand/or keywords associated with a call may be performed by one or more“routing agents.” In one example, a routing agent may be provided with alist of ongoing calls, their subject categories and any keywordsidentified in each conversation. For instance, information such as thatdepicted in FIG. 9 for the ongoing calls may be provided to a routingagent. As described above, such information may be updated from time totime to reflect new utterances of keywords. Such a list may be presentedto a routing agent, for example, as a printout or as a screen of asoftware application program running on a terminal of the agent (e.g.,the terminal may be connected to the PBX/ACDNVRM via a communicationsport).

Continuing with the example, the routing agent receives an incomingcall. In one embodiment, the caller has previously identified a subjectcategory via the IVRU 14. In another embodiment, the routing agentdetermines a subject category while speaking with the caller. Therouting agent may then ask the caller to describe his problem. Based onthe caller's description and the list of ongoing calls, the routingagent may determine to route the caller to listen to a particularongoing call.

In still another embodiment, the list of ongoing calls provided to therouting agent does not detail keywords associated with each call, butrather summarizes the context or otherwise indicates the topic of eachongoing conversation. In this manner, for example, a routing agent mightbe provided with data that is more explanatory (and thus more useful tothe agent) than keywords alone: “Ongoing Call #1234578: Caller is unableto establish a connection between digital camera and computer.” U.S.Pat. No. 5,937,422 granted to Nelson, et al. teaches a method ofautomatically assigning a label or topic description to acomputer-processed conversation that may be useful in some embodimentsof the present invention.

Of course, labels and categorizations may be applied to conversationsthat are recorded and stored for later playback to on-hold callers. Inone embodiment, on-hold callers may (i) indicate a subject category,(ii) browse a list of labels or descriptions of archived conversations,and (iii) select a conversation to hear. It may be appreciated that, inaddition to keywords and labels, other types of categorizations may beapplied to call data. For example, “sub-categories” may be associatedwith conversation data. For instance, if a subject category is“printers,” an associated sub-category may be “printer jams.”

In some alternative embodiments, no VRM may be necessary for identifyingkeywords. Instead, the system may be operable to allow agents engaged inongoing calls to identify keywords while talking to callers. Forexample, an agent engaged in an ongoing call may, while listening to acaller describe a problem related to a printer, click a button orcheckbox on a software application to indicate a keyword (e.g., “INK”)that the caller has mentioned. A record corresponding to the call (e.g.,in the keyword database 825) may be updated with the recognizedkeyword(s). For example, an application software program of an agent'sterminal may be in communication with the PBX 10 and/or ACD 12. A callermay have previously indicated a category via an IVRU 14. As the agentreceives the call, the program may then display a number of clickablebuttons representing keywords commonly associated with the indicatedcall category. As she hears each keyword, the agent clicks thecorresponding button. Such data may then be transmitted to the keyworddatabase 825. Thus, no VRM is necessary to identify keywords. After thecaller has provided sufficient information, the agent may then route thecaller to an available agent or invite the caller to listen to anongoing or archived conversation based on the indicated keywords.

ADDITIONAL EMBODIMENTS

Some embodiments of the present invention allow for a caller who is onhold to indicate that his problem or question has been solved. It may beexpected that a caller will hang up when he has received informationthat he believes will solve his problem (e.g., by listening to a relatedongoing call). Of course, some callers who are on hold may simply hangup, for example, because they feel they have been on hold for too long.Some operators of call systems may find it appealing to receive anindication that a caller wished to terminate his call because his issuewas resolved (or for some other reason).

In at least one embodiment, a caller is provided with the opportunity toindicate that his question was answered before terminating the call(e.g., by hanging up the phone). In one example, before a switching acaller to a listen-only channel, the system may output a message (e.g.,via IVRU 14): “If your question is answered while listening to theconversation, please press ‘1’ before hanging up so that another callercan take your place. If the conversation is not helpful, please press‘0’ at any time so we can find another conversation for you.” In thisway, if a caller's question is answered, he can indicate this to thecall system. Such information may be relied upon to allow a call centerto evaluate and improve its system over time. For example, a call centermay be able to determine a success fail rate for the listen-in sessionsthat it provides to its callers.

According to some embodiments, a caller with an incoming call may beoffered the option of listening in only (i.e., the system will notconnect her to a live agent). In at least one embodiment, the caller maybe required to confirm or agree that she wants to listen only. Forexample, the caller may be requested to press a button specified by theIVRU 14 to indicate that the customer does (or does not) want only tolisten.

Enabling callers to listen in to various ongoing and recordedconversations may allow a business, for example, to gain informationabout the types and frequency of problems encountered by users of acompetitor's products. For example, someone might indicate that he has aproblem with a competitor's printer and might then be allowed to listento numerous ongoing and recorded calls dealing with issues related tothat printer. According to some alternative embodiments, prior to beingallowed to listen to any content provided by the call system, a callerwith an incoming call might receive a prompt to confirm herunderstanding of terms of use of the option to listen in. For example,without limitation, the prompt may instruct the caller to confirm one ormore of the following: that she is or represents a purchaser or end-userof a product she has indicated; that she truly does have an issue shewould like to resolve; that any information provided to the caller(e.g., whether live, archived, or by allowing the caller to listen in)is provided solely for the purpose of resolving an issue; that theinformation may not be used for any commercial, marketing or researchpurposes; and the like. In some embodiments, a caller may be required toenter a serial number, product identifier, other information that may beused to verify that the caller is a purchaser or owner of a product.

The provision of the above-noted listening/chat room features enables acaller whose call has been placed in a queue to possibly find an answerto a query in advance of being connected to an agent. As a result, anumber of incoming calls will disconnect before being connected to anagent, thereby enabling an improvement in service to other callers stillon hold. Further, since the call queue moves faster, the call centerstands to gain as a result of shorter call times leading to lowertelecommunication costs.

A system embodying the invention can include further features, whichwill enable the system to exhibit additional options for call centeroperations. For example, a caller might be given the option of notmaking his call available for monitoring by other callers; the callermight be billed less for a call that is made available for monitoring;if a live call is chosen to be monitored, the listening-in caller mightlose his position in the call queue, to be positioned at the end of thequeue when he quits the call monitoring function. Further, a charge maybe levied for the monitoring/listening-in option.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide a call queuingsystem that enables a caller to obtain information in response to aquery, prior to an agent being able to answer the call.

At least one embodiment of the present invention provides a call queuingsystem which enables a caller whose call has been placed in a queue to“listen in” on other calls wherein discussions are being held thatrelate to the caller's query.

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a call queuing systemwhich allows a caller, whose call is on hold, to browse through anarchive of recorded calls or to listen to an on-going call so as toenable the caller's question to be possibly answered, without requiringconnection to a live agent.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modificationscan be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from theinvention. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace allsuch alternatives, modifications and variances which fall within thescope of the appended claims.

1. A system for processing telephone calls from a plurality of customersdirected to a call center comprising: an automated call distributiondevice for connecting customers to agents of a call center; and a voiceresponse device operably connected to the automated call distributiondevice for obtaining customer information; wherein the automated calldistribution device places a telephone call of a customer in a queuewhen a plurality of agents of the call center are unavailable, obtainsfirst customer information from the voice response device, matches thefirst customer information to second customer information associatedwith an ongoing communication between a second customer and an agent,and instructs the voice response unit to offer the first customer theopportunity to monitor the ongoing communication.
 2. The system of claim1, further comprising a switch operable to connect the first customer tomonitor the conversation between the second customer and the agent whenthe first customer accepts the offer, and operable to disconnect thefirst customer from the conversation when an agent becomes available. 3.A method for processing telephone calls from a plurality of customersdirected to a call center, comprising: receiving a telephone call at acall center from a first customer; determining that all agents of aplurality of agents of the call center are unavailable; placing thetelephone call in a queue; obtaining first customer information;matching the first customer information to second customer informationassociated with an ongoing communication between a second customer andan agent; and offering the first customer an opportunity to monitor theongoing communication.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the firstcustomer information comprises at least one of a keyword or a category.5. The method of claim 3, wherein first customer information isdetermined by an agent.
 6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:determining that the first customer accepted the offer; and connectingthe first customer to monitor the ongoing communication.
 7. The methodof claim 6, further comprising muting a portion of the ongoingcommunication while the first customer is monitoring the communication.8. The method of claim 6, prior to connecting the first customer,transmitting a request to the first customer to provide a productidentifier.
 9. The method of claim 6, prior to connecting the firstcustomer, transmitting a request to the first customer to accept a termof use.
 10. The method of claim 6, further comprising arranging for thefirst customer to provide a benefit in exchange for participating in theongoing communication involving the second customer.
 11. The method ofclaim 10, in which arranging for the first customer to provide thebenefit comprises arranging for the first customer to provide thebenefit before the first customer participates in the ongoingcommunication.
 12. The method of claim 10, in which arranging for thefirst customer to provide the benefit comprises arranging for the firstcustomer to provide a payment.
 13. The method of claim 6, furthercomprising: determining that an agent is available to take the telephonecall of the first customer; disconnecting the first customer from theongoing communication: and connecting the first customer to theavailable agent.
 14. The method of claim 3, in which offering the firstcustomer the opportunity to monitor the conversation further comprisesallowing the first customer to sample selected calls in progress. 15.The method of claim 3, in which offering the first customer theopportunity to monitor the conversation further comprises allowing thefirst customer to sample previously recorded service calls.
 16. Acomputer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct aprocessor to: receive a telephone call at a call center from a firstcustomer; determine that all agents of a plurality of agents of the callcenter are unavailable; place the telephone call in a queue; obtainfirst customer information; match the first customer information tosecond customer information associated with an ongoing communicationbetween a second customer and an agent; and offer the first customer anopportunity to monitor the ongoing communication.
 17. The computerreadable medium of claim 16, in which the instructions for obtainingfirst customer information comprise instructions configured to directthe processor to obtain at least one of a keyword or a category.
 18. Thecomputer readable medium of claim 16, in which the instructions forobtaining first customer information comprise instructions configured todirect the processor to obtain the first customer information from anagent.
 19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprisinginstructions configured to direct the processor to: determine that thefirst customer accepted the offer; and connect the first customer tomonitor the ongoing communication.
 20. The computer readable medium ofclaim 19, further comprising instructions configured to direct theprocessor to mute a portion of the ongoing communication while the firstcustomer is monitoring the communication.
 21. The computer readablemedium of claim 19, further comprising instructions configured to directthe processor to, prior to connecting the first customer, transmit arequest to the first customer to provide a product identifier.
 22. Thecomputer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructionsconfigured to direct the processor to, prior to connecting the firstcustomer, transmit a request to the first customer to accept a term ofuse.
 23. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprisinginstructions configured to direct the processor to arrange for the firstcustomer to provide a benefit in exchange for monitoring the ongoingcommunication involving the second customer.
 24. The computer readablemedium of claim 23, in which the instructions for arranging for thefirst customer to provide the benefit comprise instructions configuredto direct the processor to obtain a commitment from the first customerto provide the benefit before the first customer monitors the ongoingcommunication.
 25. The computer readable medium of claim 23, in whichthe instructions for arranging for the first customer to provide thebenefit comprise instructions configured to direct the processor toobtain confirmation of a payment from the first customer before thefirst customer monitors the ongoing communication.
 26. The computerreadable medium of claim 19, further comprising instructions configuredto direct the processor to: determine that an agent is available to takethe telephone call of the first customer; disconnect the first customerfrom the ongoing communication: and connect the first customer to theavailable agent.
 27. The computer readable medium of claim 16, in whichthe instructions for offering the first customer the opportunity tomonitor the conversation comprise instructions configured to direct theprocessor to permit the first customer to sample selected calls inprogress.
 28. The computer readable medium of claim 16, in which theinstructions for offering the first customer the opportunity to monitorthe conversation comprise instructions configured to direct theprocessor to permit the first customer to sample previously recordedservice calls.
 29. A method comprising: receiving a telephone call at acall center from a first customer; determining that all agents of thecall center are unavailable; obtaining information from the firstcustomer including a keyword to associate with the telephone call;placing the telephone call in a queue; determining a conversation inprogress between a second customer and an agent, wherein theconversation is associated with the keyword; offering the first customeran opportunity to monitor the conversation of the second customer andthe agent; determining that the first customer accepted the offer; andconnecting the first customer to monitor the conversation between thesecond customer and the agent.
 30. The method of claim 29, furthercomprising: determining that an agent is available to take the telephonecall of the first customer; disconnecting the first customer frommonitoring the conversation between the second customer and the agent;and connecting the first customer to the available agent.
 31. The methodof claim 29, in which offering the first customer the opportunity tomonitor the conversation further comprises allowing the first customerto sample selected calls in progress.
 32. The method of claim 29, inwhich offering the first customer the opportunity to monitor theconversation further comprises allowing the first customer to samplepreviously recorded service calls.
 33. The method of claim 29, furthercomprising arranging for the first customer to provide a benefit inexchange for participating in the conversation between the secondcustomer and the agent.
 34. The method of claim 33, in which arrangingfor the first customer to provide the benefit comprises arranging forthe first customer to provide the benefit before the first customermonitors the ongoing communication.
 35. The method of claim 33, in whicharranging for the first customer to provide the benefit comprisesarranging for the first customer to provide a payment.
 36. A computerreadable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processorto: receive a telephone call at a call center from a first customer;determine that all agents of the call center are unavailable; obtaininformation from the first customer including a keyword to associatewith the telephone call; place the telephone call in a queue; determinea conversation in progress between a second customer and an agent,wherein the conversation is associated with the keyword; offer the firstcustomer an opportunity to monitor the conversation of the secondcustomer and the agent; determine that the first customer accepted theoffer; and connect the first customer to monitor the conversationbetween the second customer and the agent.
 37. The computer readablemedium of claim 36, further comprising instructions configured to directthe processor to: determine that an agent is available to take thetelephone call of the first customer; disconnect the first customer frommonitoring the conversation between the second customer and the agent;and connect the first customer to the available agent.
 38. The computerreadable medium of claim 36, in which the instructions for offering thefirst customer the opportunity to monitor the conversation compriseinstructions configured to direct the processor to permit the firstcustomer to sample selected calls in progress.
 39. The computer readablemedium of claim 36, in which the instructions for offering the firstcustomer the opportunity to monitor the conversation compriseinstructions configured to direct the processor to permit the firstcustomer to sample previously recorded service calls.
 40. The computerreadable medium of claim 36, further comprising instructions configuredto direct the processor to arrange for the first customer to provide abenefit in exchange for monitoring the conversation between the secondcustomer and the agent.
 41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, inwhich the instructions for arranging for the first customer to provide abenefit in exchange for monitoring the conversation compriseinstructions configured to direct the processor to obtain a commitmentfrom the first customer to provide the benefit before the first customermonitors the ongoing communication.
 42. The computer readable medium ofclaim 40, in which the instructions for arranging for the first customerto provide a benefit in exchange for monitoring the conversationcomprise instructions configured to direct the processor to obtainconfirmation of a payment from the first customer before the firstcustomer monitors the ongoing communication.
 43. An apparatus,comprising: a processor; and a data storage device operably connected tothe processor, wherein the data storage device stores instructionsconfigured to direct the processor to: receive a telephone call at acall center from a first customer; determine that all agents of the callcenter are unavailable; obtain information from the first customerincluding a keyword to associate with the telephone call; place thetelephone call in a queue; determine a conversation in progress betweena second customer and an agent, wherein the conversation is associatedwith the keyword; offer the first customer an opportunity to monitor theconversation of the second customer and the agent; determine that thefirst customer accepted the offer; and connect the first customer tomonitor the conversation between the second customer and the agent. 44.A method comprising: receiving a telephone call at a call center from afirst customer; determining that all agents of the call center areunavailable; obtaining information from the first customer including akeyword to associate with the telephone call; placing the telephone callin a queue; determining a chat room that is associated with the keyword;offering the first customer an opportunity to participate in the chatroom with other customers; determining that the first customer acceptedthe offer; and connecting the first customer to the chat room.
 45. Themethod of claim 44, further comprising: determining that an agent isavailable; and enabling the customer having highest priority in thequeue to have a conversation with the available agent.
 46. The method ofclaim 45, further comprising enabling all remaining customers in thechat room to monitor the conversation.
 47. The method of claim 45,further comprising: determining that the customer with the highestpriority has ended the conversation; and enabling the customer havingthe next highest priority in the queue to have a conversation with theagent.
 48. The method of claim 44, further comprising arranging for thefirst customer to provide a benefit in exchange for participating in thechat room.
 49. The method of claim 48, in which arranging for the firstcustomer to provide the benefit comprises arranging for the firstcustomer to provide the benefit before the first customer participatesin the chat room.
 50. The method of claim 48, in which arranging for thefirst customer to provide the benefit comprises arranging for the firstcustomer to provide a payment.
 51. A computer readable medium storinginstructions configured to direct a processor to: receive a telephonecall at a call center from a first customer; determine that all agentsof the call center are unavailable; obtain information from the firstcustomer including a keyword to associate with the telephone call; placethe telephone call in a queue; determine a chat room that is associatedwith the keyword; offer the first customer an opportunity to participatein the chat room with other customers; determine that the first customeraccepted the offer; and connect the first customer to the chat room. 52.The computer readable medium of claim 51, further comprisinginstructions configured to direct the processor to: determine that anagent is available; and enable the customer having highest priority inthe queue to have a conversation with the available agent.
 53. Thecomputer readable medium of claim 52, further comprising instructionsconfigured to direct the processor to enable all remaining customers inthe chat room to monitor the conversation.
 54. The computer readablemedium of claim 52, further comprising instructions configured to directthe processor to: determine that the customer with the highest priorityhas ended the conversation; and enable the customer having the nexthighest priority in the queue to have a conversation with the agent. 55.The computer readable medium of claim 51, further comprisinginstructions configured to direct the processor to arrange for the firstcustomer to provide a benefit in exchange for participating in the chatroom.
 56. The computer readable medium of claim 55, in which theinstructions for arranging for the first customer to provide a benefitin exchange for monitoring the conversation comprise instructionsconfigured to direct the processor to obtain a commitment from the firstcustomer to provide the benefit before the first customer monitors theongoing communication.
 57. The computer readable medium of claim 55, inwhich the instructions for arranging for the first customer to provide abenefit in exchange for monitoring the conversation compriseinstructions configured to direct the processor to obtain confirmationof a payment from the first customer before the first customer monitorsthe ongoing communication.
 58. An apparatus, comprising: a processor;and a data storage device operably connected to the processor, whereinthe data storage device stores instructions configured to direct theprocessor to: receive a telephone call at a call center from a firstcustomer; determine that all agents of the call center are unavailable;obtain information from the first customer including a keyword toassociate with the telephone call; place the telephone call in a queue;determine a chat room that is associated with the keyword; offer thefirst customer an opportunity to participate in the chat room with othercustomers; determine that the first customer accepted the offer; andconnect the first customer to the chat room.